Air-flow-indicating apparatus



Sept. 23, 1930. c. H. SANDERSON AIR FLOW INDICATING APPARATUS Filed April 19, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l Sept. 23, 1930- c. H. SANDERSON 1,776,297

AIR FLOW INDICATING APPARATUS Filed April 19, 926 2 sheets-sheet 2 1 6, iii-"1h 5 I Patented tecting air-cooled transformers,

OI NU'ILEY, NEW JERSEY, 'ASSIGNOB TO ALBERT & J. M.

ANDERSON MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF BOSTQN, 'MASSACHUSETTS, .A. CORPORA- TION or mnssncnosn'rrs A IR-FLDW-INDIGATING APPARATUS Application filed I A ril 19,

This invention relates to an apparatus for indicating the condition of air flow. One object of the invention is to provide novel, simple and highly eificient apparatus of the character speclfied, which is capable of general use but which is particularly adapted among other uses for protecting air-cooled apparatus, such as transformers, from dangerous reductions in or from total cessation of air flow.

To these ends, the air-flow-indicating apparatus is provided with an air vane adapted to be located in the path of the air-flow and itself capable of movement when a reduction in the air flow occurs.

The apparatus is also provided with a signaling device operatively connected with the air vane to be controlled thereby, and in the preferred form of, the invention the signaling device is an electric lamp which is located in a circuit having a circuit controller movable with the air vane for opening or closing the said circuit as desired when the air vane is moved from the position which it assumes with the air-flow normal.

The improved indicating apparatus is particularly designed among other uses for proand provision is made for mounting the apparatus upon the transformer with the air vane projected into the path of the air discharged from the transformer, whereby an indication is secured of the condition of the air actually passing through the transformer.

The circuit controller co-operates with the air vane to form an air vane relay, and said circuit controller is preferably adjustably mounted on the vane, and the latter is preferably provided with an adjustable counterweight bymeans of which the vane may be adjusted to the air-pressure used.

These and other features of this invention will be pointed out in the claims at the end of thisspecification.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan of one form of apparatus embodying the invention, the housing or cover for the air vane relay being omitted; Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section on the line 2-2 of the apparatus shownvin F ig. 1, with the housing or cover 1926. Serial No. 108,180.

in place; Fig. 3 is a cross section and end elevation of the apparatus, the vane rod and housing being shown in section; Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the lighting circuit and its relation to the air vane, the parts being in the position assumed when the air-flow is normal; Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the parts in position corresponding to interrupt-ion in the air-flow, and Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a transformer having the air-flow-indicating apparatus mounted thereon.

Referring to the drawings, the apparatus illustrated therein for indicating the condition of air-flow is provided with a vane 10 attached to a rod or bar 12 extended through a carrier 13, which is pivotally mounted upon pivot screws 14 to be capable of vertical movement. The pivot screws 14 are provided with conical ends 15, which are seated in conical recesses 16 in bosses 17 projecting from the opposite sides of the carrier 13. The pivot screws 14 are adjustably mounted in supporting posts 18 upstanding from a suitable base 19. Nuts 20 are provided for maintaining the pivot screws 14 in adjusted positions, such as to ensure free pivotal motion of the vane 10 in a vertical plane with minimum friction. The vane 10 is of sufficient size to afford which the air may bear to maintain it in an elevated position, such as is illustrated in Fig. 4, when the air is flowing at its normal or desired rate. The rod or bar 12 is provided with a counterweight 23 adjustable thereon to adjust the vane for different pressures. The counterweight 23 may be secured in its adjusted position by nuts 24 engaging the threaded portion 25 of the rod or bar 12.

The carrier 13 for the air vane 10 also constitutes a carrier for a device, preferably a circuit controlling unit of known construction and comprising a tubular member 30 of insulating material, preferably glass, which contains a body 31 of mercury co-operating With terminal members 32, 33 (see Figs. 2, 4 and 5), which are electrically connected with metal members 34, 35 secured as by screws 36 to the ends of a supporting memample surface against in its adjusted 1 ber 37 of insulating material. The supporting member 37 is mounted to turn on a pivot pin 39 carried by arms 40 depending from opposite sides of the carrier 13, and said supporting member is adapted to be secured osition by means of a set screw 140 carrie b the supporting member 37 and extended t rough a curved slot 41 in a relatively long arm 42 depending from the carrier 13. I

By loosening the screw 140, the supporting member 37 ma be turned on its pivot to po-' sition the sur ace of the body of mercury with respect to the'terminals 32, 33 so that when the vane is in its horizontal position, the

. body of mercury 31 may either open or close a circuit in which the circuit controller is included.

. are cooled by As herein represented, the body of mercury 31 is out of contact with the terminal 32 as represented in Fig. 5 when air is not flowing and the vane is in a substantially horizontal position, and when the vane is turned by an upwardly moving current of air, as represented in Fig. 4, the mercury 31 contacts with both terminals and thereby closes the circuit in which the controller or relay is included.

By adjusting the supporting member 37 into diiferent positions with respect to the slotted arm 41, the air vane relay may be adjusted to operate as a normally open or a closed circuit controller as desired and also enables the circuit to be opened and closed at different points in'the upward and downward movements of the vane to meet different conditions ofuse.

v The circuit-controller unit comprising the tubular member 30, the body 31 of mercury, the terminals 32 33, and the supporting member 37 therefor, is of known construction, and is made so that the tubular member 30 is detachably secured to the supporting member 37 by the screws 36.

The terminals 32 33 of the circuit controller are included in an electric circuit represented by the lines 40, 41 in Figs. 4 and 5, and said circuit contains a signaling device which is governed by the circuit controller.

This device is herein represented as an electric lamp 42, but it may be an electromalgirliet j e air vane relay is capable of being used in any situation or apparatus employin a current of air pressure, and among ot er uses, it is connectionwith e ectric transformers, which blowing a current of air through them.

In Fi 6, the air vane relay is shown as mounte on a bracket 44 attached to the casing 45 of a transformer at the upper or outlet end of said casing, and when so arrangai, it will be notice that the fan 10 is articularly serviceable 1n.

subjected to the action of the cooling air after the latter has acted on the transformer within the casing 45 and not herein shown. The casing 45 is supplied with air pressure by a blower 46. I

The circuit-controller unit and its carrier may be protected by a cover or housing 50 wh1ch is secured by screws erected upon the base 19. The housing 50 is (provided with slots 54, 55 in opposing en walls 56, 57 for the passage oi the rod 12, and the slot 54 in the rear side or end of the housing is made of such length as to enable its upper wall 58 to serve as a stop for the rod 12 which is engaged by the latter when in its horizontal position.

In the present instance, the circuit controller of the relay is arranged to be opened when the flow of air ceases, and to be closed when the air flows. These conditions are represented in Figs. 5 and 4 respectively.

When the air is flowing properly as represented in Fig. 4, the circuit of the lamp 42 is completed, and the lighted lamp serves to indicate that the proper flow of air is bein obtained. 7

When the flow of air ceases, the lamp circuit is opened as represented in Fig. 5 and the lam is extinguished, which serves to notify t e operator that the proper air-flow is not being obtained.

The base 19 may and preferably will have secured to it a pointer or arm 60, which is extended horizontally therefrom below the vane 10, and which assists in determining the position of the vane by inspection from a distance.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is herein shown, but it is not desired to limit the invention to the particular construction shown.

What is claimed is:

1. In an apparatus for indicating the flow of air, in combination, a base, uprights erected thereon, a vane carrier pivotally mounted between said uprights, a vane having a rod secured to said carrier, and a circuit-controlling unit mounted on said carr1er below said rod and comprising a supporting member of insulating material secured to said carrier and provided with circuit terminals,-and a movable circuit-com trolling member detachably secured to said circuit terminals and co-operating therewith to open and close a circuit in which said ter- 51 to posts 52 I its adjusted position, and a vane connected with said carrier to move the latter and said circuit-controlling unit in one direction under the influence of air pressure.

4. In an apparatus for indicating the flow of air, in combination, a base, a movable vane carrier mounted on said base, a circuit controller movable with said carrier, a vane connected with said carrier to eflect movement thereof, and a device co-operating with said vane to enable the position of the vane to be determined by inspection at a distance from said apparatus.

5. In an apparatus for indicating the flow of air, in combination, a base, uprights erected thereon, a vane carrier pivotally mounted between said uprights, a vane having arod secured to said carrier, a supporting member pivoted to said carrier to be moved with relation thereto, means for securing saidsupporting member in fixed relation to said carrier in its adjusted position, and a circuit-controlling unit carried by said supporting member.

6. In an apparatus for indicating the flow of air, in combination, a base, uprights erected thereon, a vane carrier pivotally mounted between said uprights, a circuit-controlling unit, and a supporting member for said unit depending from said carrier and provided with circuit terminals with which said circuitcontrolling unit is detachably engaged.

- 7. In an apparatus for indicating the fiow of air, in combination, a base, uprights erected thereon, a vane carrier pivotally mounted between said uprights, a supporting member suspended from said carrier and pivoted thereto to be adjusted with relation to said carrier, means for securing said supporting member in fixed relation to said carrier in its adjusted position, and a circuit-controlling unit secured to said supporting member.

8. In an apparatus for indicating the flow of air, 'in combination, a base, uprights erected thereon, a vane carrier pivotally mounted between said uprights and provided with depending arms, a supporting member adjustably supported by said arms, and a circuit-controlling device carried by said supporting member.

9. In an apparatus for indicating the flow of air, in combination, a base,uprights erect-ed thereon, a vane carrier ivotally mounted be tween said uprights, a circuit-controlling unit mounted on said uprights, a. vane having a rod secured to said carrier, and a protective cover for said carrier and sand c1rcu1t-controlling unit secured to said base and provided with opposing end walls having slots through which said rod is extended, the upper wall of one of said slots functioning as a stop for the said rod to position the vane in a substantially horizontal position when the air current is not flowing.

10. In an apparatus for indicating the flow of air, in combination, a base, a vane carrier pivotally mounted on said base, a vane having a rod secured to said carrier, a supporting member of insulating material secured to said carrier to move therewith and provided with circuit terminals, and a circuit-controlling unit detachably secured to said supporting member by said circuit terminals.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

CLARENCE H. SANDERSON. 

